Resource Efficiency Energy and Material Efficiency Projects
USTA has programs in place to optimize its resources. In addition, as part of this project it will further establish additional optimization measures. In Bogota, at the Sede Campus Alberto Magno, it has installed eight solar mobile devices charging stations across campus and has begun replacing lighting bulbs with LED lamps. Between 2015-2016, Bogota USTA operations saved 7% of the total conventional energy consumption. Furthermore, it anticipates installing 120 m 2 of solar panels on the roof of one of the existing buildings at the Sede Campus Alberto Magno for a generation of 30KVa which will save 20% of the use of conventional energy consumed by the building. In addition, at the Sede Campus Alberto Magno, it collects rainwater which it used for the irrigation of the green areas, deriving a significant optimization of water consumption. In other operations in Bogota, it has installed water saving bathroom fixtures. Specifically, for the operations in Bogota, USTA will conduct an assessment to determine all needed measures to make this campus zero carbon releases.
Other operations also have initiatives to optimize energy and water use. In Tunja, the new buildings are being designed to ensure natural light and have LED lighting. In addition, it is also setting to install solar energy mobile devices charging stations. It collects the rainwater from the existing buildings and uses it for irrigation. In Villavicencio, it has installed LED lighting and it has autoregulation of air conditioning use, among other saving measures and in 2016, it saved around 50% of the energy consumed in previous years. In addition, it has installed water saving bathroom fixtures and collect rainwater which is used to satisfy 100% of the water consumption for irrigation and toilets. Furthermore, it is also promoting the use of bicycles as transportation means. In Bucaramanga, the new buildings will have motion light sensors installed in bathrooms and hallways and it will install a new chiller that will save 30% of the energy currently used, and it is considering ways to buy renewable energy.
The technical designs for the proposed new buildings are incorporating “green buildings” specifications including rainwater collection to satisfy water needs for urinals, toilets, cleaning of open areas, as well as contribute to the fire water needs. Other initiatives include installing efficient faucets and toilets to save water consumption. Furthermore, applying LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) requirements, the electrical designs for the new buildings are considering alternatives to optimize energy use by maximizing use of natural light and reducing artificial light consumption. All light fittings will be equipped with energy saver lamps (LED light bulbs) ensuring less maintenance and energy consumption. All luminaires will have efficiencies greater than 50 lumens per watt in most cases and at least 35,000 hours of use, and the emergency system will have free cadmium batteries. Moreover, the buildings will have natural ventilation, the buildings front faces will have solar protections to reduce cooling needs, and all electromechanical equipment will have automatic systems to determine the precise time for operation and will have rigorous preventive maintenance to optimize their operation. These measures, among others, will contribute to reduce energy consumption. USTA is looking towards getting its operations EDGE certified in the near future, it will look to install solar energy at its installations, and satisfy all its energy needs with solar energy within 20 years.
GHG Emissions
USTA’s GHGs are mainly derived from the electricity consumption which is provided by the national grid. The project-related GHG emissions will be 22 tonne CO2 equivalent per year, below IFC’s threshold of 25,000 tons of CO2 equivalent annually. It is anticipated that GHG emissions will be optimized as part of the project, since as stated above there are numerous energy optimization measures to be installed.
Air Emissions and Ambient Air Quality
USTA has built bicycle parking at all its sites to encourage its population to reduce the use of fossil fuels operating vehicles sites. In Bogota, it has installed 320 bicycle parking spaces at the Sede central Calle 51, edificio Doctor Angélico, and Campus San Alberto Magno and it is encouraging that more than one occupant be in the vehicles its population (students, administrative, employees) uses. It also provides transportation for those going to the Campus as it is distant from the city, thereby reducing the motivation of own use transportation.
The total energy consumption in the USTA sites per month is 234,400 Kwh and 1,368 m 3 of natural gas, as follows:
In Bogotá, average energy consumption (of the past 6 months) has been 100,450 Kwh and 929 m 3 of natural gas. There are also 11 diesel backup generators with a combined capacity of 3.741 KVa and 3 diesel generators with a total capacity of 1.441 Kwh.
In Villavicencio, average energy consumption (of the past 6 months) has been 22,800 Kwh and 50 m 3 of natural gas. There are 2 back-up diesel generators with 8000 KVa and 5000 KVa respective capacities.
In Tunja, average energy consumption (of the past 6 months) has been 22,800 Kwh and 153 m 3 of natural gas. There is a back-up diesel generator with a 249 KVa capacity. As part of this 2020 plan, Tunja has acquired 2 diesel backup generators to support energy demands of the Santo Domingo building, once operational, and of the existing Giordano Bruno building.
In Medellin, average energy consumption (of the past 6 months) has been 12,300 Kwh and 144 m 3 of natural gas.
In Bucaramanga, average energy consumption (of the past 6 months) has been 74,300 Kwh and 92 m 3 of natural gas. There are 5 back-up diesel generators with the following capacities 250 kVA 500 kVA, 273 kVA 190 kVA y 170 KVa.
Water Usage and Wastewater Treatment
Total water usage in all USTA sites per month is 7,037 m 3 (average last 6 months) or 2.19 m 3 / person / year, as follows. Note that there is very enrollment increase planned (only 1,150 new students in Villavicencio). There are new teachers and faculty joining, increasing population in the campus, from 38,621 people currently to 40,365 people by 2020.
In Bogotá, the monthly consumption is 3,786 m 3 (average last 6 months) or 2.16 m 3 / person / year (considering 21,050 persons, between students, faculty, admin and suppliers.) It is estimated to be 3,407 m 3 or 1.93 m 3 / person / year by 2020. Water is provided by the EAAB – Empresa de Acueducto y Alcantarillado de Bogotá, public utilities Company that supplies water to the City of Bogota, within the guidelines of the WHO (World Health Organization). Despite this compliance, the University has begun microbiological testing to improve even more the quality of the water .
In Villavicencio, the monthly consumption is 956 m 3 (average last 6 months) or 2.90 m 3 / person / year (considering 4,000 persons, between students, faculty, admin and suppliers.) It is the highest of all USTA campuses. It is high currently, as the water used for construction purposes is also included. However, it is estimated to be, lower, at 860 m 3 or 2.0 m 3 / person / year by 2020, when the construction of the buildings is finished. Water is provided by the EAAV - Empresa de Acueducto y Alcantarillado de Villavicencio, public utilities Company that supplies water to the city, within the WHO guidelines.
In Tunja, the monthly consumption is 767 m 3 (average last 6 months) or 1.82 m 3 / person / year (considering 5,060 persons, between students, faculty, admin and suppliers.) It is estimated to be kept at the same 767 m 3 level by 2020, but reducing the per-capita use to 1.78 m 3 / person / year by 2020 as more teachers and admin personnel will join the campus as part of the project. Water is provided by the Empresa Proactiva Aguas de Tunja SA, private utilities Company that supplies water to the city, within the WHO guidelines.
In Medellin, the monthly consumption is 143 m 3 (average last 6 months) or 1.61 m 3 / person / year (considering 1,060 persons, between students, faculty, admin and suppliers.) It is estimated to increase slightly to 172 m 3 , as there will be more personnel (teachers and/or students) because of the expansion, lowering to 1.57 m 3 / person / year by 2020. Water is provided by EPM, Empresas Públicas de Medellín, private utilities Company that supplies water to the city, within the WHO guidelines.
In Bucaramanga, monthly consumption is 1,385 m 3 (average last 6 months) or 2.22 m 3 / person / year (considering 7,500 persons, between students, faculty, admin and suppliers.) It is estimated to be kept at the same absolute level of 1,385 m 3 , reducing slightly to 2.20 m 3 / person / year by 2020. Water for the campus de Floridablanca, Bucaramanga y Piedecuesta is provided by Acueducto Metropolitano de Bucaramanga, public utilities Company that supplies water to the City, within the WHO guidelines. For the Limonal c ampus, as it is an agricultural farm for practice, water is taken from a nearby superficial water body (lake), also compliant to WHO guidelines (as determined by the local authorities).
As the global benchmark ranges between 1.2 m 3 /student/year and 3.5 m 3 /student/year, and USTA is establishing rigorous water optimization measures as part of this project, it is expected that it will maintain its consumption within the benchmark values. Current consumption today at USTA is 2.19 m 3 / person / year and is estimated to be 1.96 m 3 / person / year by 2020. USTA will measure and report to IFC, as part of the periodic EHS and social performance, the yearly water consumption.
USTA operations generated domestic wastewaters, and contaminated water at those operations with laboratories in place. Specifically, in Bogota, at the Sede Central, the cafeterias’ s effluents pass through oil/grease separators prior to being discharged into the sewage municipal system along with the domestic effluents. The Sede Campus has a wastewater treatment plant; and for the Laboratories “F” building, as part of this project, it will segregate the domestic and laboratories effluents and treat them prior discharging them to the municipal sewage system. Currently, the Sede Central and Sede Campus in Bogota are processing the local environmental authorities’ liquid effluents discharge permit. In Villavicencio, the domestic wastewaters are sent to septic tanks and the liquid effluents from the laboratories are collected for final proper disposal by authorized company. In Tunja, the effluents from all cafeterias at both, Sede Central and Sede Campus pass through oil/grease separators prior to being discharged into the sewage municipal system. In Floridablanca and Bucaramanga campuses, both pass the effluents from all their cafeterias through oil/grease separators prior to being discharged into the sewage municipal system; and for Piedecuesta, it is in the process of building the oil/grease separators. The Limonal and Piedecuesta liquid effluents are discharges directed to a nearby water surface body. Operations in Bogota and Bucaramanga are in the process to begin conducting wastewater effluents characterization and monitoring prior to being discharged. As par the project, USTA will complete monitoring of the liquid effluents and as needed conduct the needed treatment for existing as well as new proposed buildings to ensure compliance with IFC’s and local requirements prior to their final discharges. (See Action 7 of the ESAP.)
Solid Waste Management
USTA’s operations, in its majority, have established solid residues management plans. They collect and segregate solid recyclable wastes, have dedicated waste storage areas, and have authorized companies for the collection and final disposal. The non-recyclable wastes are sent to the municipal landfills. Specifically, in Bogota, so far in 2017, it has collected 10 tons of recyclable waste. In Bucaramanga, at the Florida blanca campus, it has an agreement programs with the Cooperative of Recyclers to collect the recyclables collected, and with another company to collect the electrical and electronic residues generated. Also in Bucaramanga, it will begin a composting program with all organic residues generated at the cafeterias. In Tunja, it has an agreement with Recitunja, an organization that takes the recyclable material for further use.
All hazardous wastes (chemicals, medical) are collected, temporarily required to be stored in adequate areas, following the rigorous Colombian legislation, and are collected several times a week, by government authorized private companies specialized on handling and disposal of these wastes. For some of the locations (i.e., Bogota and Villavicencio), USTA is in the process to adequate the storage areas for hazardous wastes. (See Action 8 of the ESAP.) Specifically, for the Limonal and Piedecuesta campuses in Bucaramanga, it will develop the solid residues management program (See Action 9 of the ESAP.) For the transport of the hazardous wastes to its final destination, the operations in Bogota have a protocol in place to trace the process and ensure the soundness of transport and final destination. In Villavicencio, it has adequate storage areas, including refrigeration for the medical wastes until the collection for final disposal. As part of the disposal management process, all campuses have custody tracking systems to ensure proper final disposal of its medical and hazardous wastes.
Hazardous Materials
As USTA has over 40 laboratories across campuses and it handles more than 60 chemical substances, it has developed a comprehensive hazardous materials management program based on the guidelines of the US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Thus, it has identified the risks by department and developed protocols for storage, handling, and disposal; maintains its corresponding material safety data sheets (MSDS); ensures proper signaling and risk identification; and has developed clear emergency response measures; among others. It is also currently developing protocols for the purchasing of less harmful chemicals as appropriate.
The university does not store fuel beyond the capacity of two 50 gal tanks for the gasoline needed for maintenance and other equipment and diesel for the university vehicles at any of its installations. For the back-up generators, it has diesel storage tanks on premises which are double bounded to accommodate 1,5 times the volume of each tank and have all needed safety measures to reduce the likelihood of spills and soil contamination. The diesel generators are regularly maintained to ensure operation per manufacturer’s specifications. At its various campuses, t he university has pest control programs in place for which it uses approved pesticides.
